Walk into a security operations center (SOC) and the first impression you get is of an immense war room, with large screens across the entire front wall displaying a world map and endless rows of tabular data.

Analysts sit in rows facing the screens as they scrutinize streams of data on their own monitors. Most of the light comes from the wall screens, creating a cavelike atmosphere. The overall feel is one of quiet efficiency.

Welcome to Alert Logic’s 24/7 security operations center in Houston, Texas. This is where Alert Logic’s analysts monitor customer applications and networks, hunting for signs of an attack or a breach. For organizations with limited budgets and a small (or not) dedicated security team, working with a managed security services provider like Alert Logic helps close the security gap.

Alert Logic's security operations center in Houston, Texas

“They [customers] are thinking, ‘We have too much valuable data not to have better security capabilities,” says Gray Hall, CEO of Alert Logic. It’s a shift from investing in specific technologies and hoping it’s enough to prevent a breach to a proactive approach where the goal is to find attackers before they cause much damage.